Lately, I have been focusing on silent features and this one was the last one I saw (for now). Honestly, I find it rather difficult to review this flick. Indeed, even though it was rather long (more than 130 minutes), especially for a silent feature, it was actually supposed to be 6 hours! After watching the whole thing, you wonder how Eric von Stroheim managed to get 6 hours from this story but,... read more

Description:A beautiful reconstruction of Erich von Stroheim's classic silent feature. Publicized as the first film to cost a million dollars, "Foolish Wives" was at once praised for its extravagant visual design and condemned for its portrayal of a rogue count's unbridled and often peculiar sexual obsessions. The plot concerns the actions of the "Count" and two of his mistresses posing as his cousins as they set about separating rich ladies from their fortunes. In every way characteristic of writer/director/star von Stroheim's greatest works, "Foolish Wives" has over time gained a reputation as the great direcA beautiful reconstruction of Erich von Stroheim's classic silent feature. Publicized as the first film to cost a million dollars, "Foolish Wives" was at once praised for its extravagant visual design and condemned for its portrayal of a rogue count's unbridled and often peculiar sexual obsessions. The plot concerns the actions of the "Count" and two of his mistresses posing as his cousins as they set about separating rich ladies from their fortunes. In every way characteristic of writer/director/star von Stroheim's greatest works, "Foolish Wives" has over time gained a reputation as the great director's other masterwork, ranking second only to "Greed." The film is mastered from the original restored print.... (more)(less)